Solar thermal collectors have been made in the past in long extruded strips which are then installed by adhering to the surface of a building roof. Recent developments in the manufacturing of photovoltaic(PV) power cells using thin-film photovoltaic material deposited onto a thin sheet of metal or polymer has resulted in the ability to produce a flexible solar-electric power cell. This technique also allows the manufacturing of these power cells in continuous sheets.
The present invention is directed to the combination of a solar thermal collector and a photovoltaic device, each designed to capture energy in a different way, and to provide an assembly with better performance and economics than may result from the application of the two products separately.
The first aspect of the invention is directed to a solar power assembly comprising a flexible thermal solar collector and a PV device mounted to the thermal collector to create a solar power assembly. The assembly may have sufficient flexibility so it may be transported in a roll to a use site, unrolled and attached to a support at the use site. The thermal solar collector typically includes a plurality of fluid passageways.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to a hybrid solar power system including a solar power assembly, comprising a flexible thermal solar collector and PV device creating a flexible solar power assembly. An external heated fluid receiver, such as a heat exchanger, is fluidly coupled to the thermal solar collector. An external device, such as a regulated power supply, is electrically coupled to the PV device.
A further aspect of the invention is directed to a method for making a solar power assembly. A flexible thermal solar collector and a PV device are joined to create a flexible solar power assembly. The assembly is rolled for transport to a use site.
A still further aspect of the invention is directed to a method for installing a solar power assembly on a support at a use site comprising unrolling a solar power assembly from a roll, the solar power assembly comprising a flexible thermal collector and a PV device mounted to one another. The solar power assembly is attached to the support with the flexible thermal collector located between the support and the flexible PV device. The attaching step may be carried out using an adhesive and/or clips.
An additional aspect of the invention is directed to a solar power assembly comprising a polymer thermal solar collector and a PV device mounted thereto. The polymer may be a flexible polymer, such as EPDM.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to a solar power unit comprising a thermal solar collector and a PV device mounted thereto to create a solar power assembly. A collapsible glazing is mounted to the solar power assembly to overlie the PV device for movement between upright, inflated and collapsed, deflated conditions.
These various aspects of the invention provide a number of advantages. The invention permits the solar power assembly to be simply and securely mounted to a roof or other support by, for example, attaching the assembly directly to a roof membrane with an adhesive; this reduces or eliminates the need for additional mounting structure and also may eliminate the need for roof membrane-penetrating fasteners. Also, the assembly can take the place of the roof membrane by, for example, mounting strips of the solar power assembly adjacent to one another in a shingled fashion to form what is in essence a roof membrane. The manufacture of a PV device and thermal solar collector as one assembly may result in lower cost as well as simpler transportation and installation.